Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Repost: Snap-Back to Counter

This is a repost of a nice counter technique, the snap-back. When slipping a punch in boxing or kickboxing, there are several options: slip inside or outside (see example versus the jab) the attacking arm, bob (dip straight down by bending the knees, or, the little-used SNAP-BACK. Check out how you can use it. - Nathan

Snap-back and counter right: The lead-off fighter, on the right, leads, but only singles. Also notice the lead is dropped as it is retracted. The snap-back of the counter-fighter shifts the weight to the rear foot, and protects the head by moving it out of range. Quickly pushing off the read with the counter is accomplished by not leaning back, just shifting the weight.

NOTE: The key to this technique is to keep the weight forward! This is accomplished by taking a step back with the rear foot that is just enough to make your opponent miss, and reach. Make sure you keep the weight on the front foot and plant and push off with the ball of the rear foot. The over-extension of an expected scoring shot will over-extend the lead-off fighter's technique and create an opening for your counter. - Nathan

1 comment:

Anonymous
said...

The snap-back is actually a technique that originated from filipino boxing (suntokan or panantukan) where it is used extensively in both armed and unarmed defenses. The reason why I like it is sheer effectiveness and easy of use: basically you just shift your bodyweight to the rear as far as you can while still retaining proper stance, this will catapult you forward and with some practice you’ll hit him while he’s retracting his attacking arm (making it very difficult to defend). I wouldn’t use in on the jab though: a jab is a very quick technique and if he’s good he’ll just slip and counterpunch. The best way to use this defense (at least in my humble opinion and that of Ron Balicki) is on his cross (as you know the cross is a more committed technique, plus he’ll want to chase your face going backwards so most likely he’ll extend too far), snapping back and countering with a standard 1-2. The reason why this is better (again IMO) is that a) you attack first with the weapon that is closest to your opponent and b) the well-known advantage of the jab-cross over just the cross (with the jab you knock his head back setting him up for a clean knockout on the shin). A variant suitable for self-defense is to lean back and kick his groin from underneath. This makes perfect sense since all your weight will be on the back foot leaving your front leg free for a quick snap kick upward. If you want to use this in a kickboxing-context you should use the front push-kick (teep) to the solar-plexus, stomach or face. After you can follow-up with a wide variety of combinations. The most important thing is getting the defense right: if you’ve got that down he’s pretty much ripe for the plucking.